This webpage has been archived. Its content will not be updated.
View web retention policy
Nowadays almost everything has one or more numbers attached to it by way of identification. In the information world, books have had ISBNs since the 1960's but with the growth of digital information the need for unique identifiers for information objects - i.e. any combination of text, images, sound, web pages etc in any physical format - has become more pressing. Consequently various interest groups have developed their own systems to serve the needs of their respective constituencies. This investigation aims to identify the main systems currently extant, describe their use and the mechanisms underlying them, examine the issues that emerge make appropriate recommendations to the HE community.